In an instant, Hyowoo’s eyes became round like a rabbit’s again.
“Hyowoo-ssi is more sincere, polite, and kind than anyone else. So I’d like it if you didn’t use such expressions.”
He continued with a gentle face.
“If it’s hardened into a habit and comes out unconsciously, I know it’s not easy to fix. But I’d like it if you didn’t use it when you’re with me.”
For a moment, his chest tightened with emotion.
It was something that could only be said to someone truly cherished.
‘Besides family… no one has ever said something like this to me…’
Originally he had little emotional fluctuation and few tears, but strangely his chest welled up.
It felt like tears would burst out at any moment.
He didn’t want to show such a weak side, especially not to him.
“I’ll go buy something to drink.”
“Ah, are you thirsty? Then I’ll go.”
As Lee Seohee tried to get up along with him, Hyowoo blocked him.
“I’ll go alone. Player Lee Seohee, just stay here.”
“Hyowoo-ssi, you don’t like crowded places. And you get lost easily.”
Lee Seohee already knew that Hyowoo was severely directionally challenged and had a poor sense of direction.
He probably seemed worried that Hyowoo might get lost in the baseball stadium with many people and many entrances and exits, but despite that, he insisted on going alone to the end.
“If player Lee Seohee goes, it might get more crowded.”
“Ah… that certainly could be the case.”
Whether that explanation was convincing, he obediently sat down.
“What would you like?”
“Could you just buy me a bottle of water?”
He had expected him to ask for the stadium’s specialty chicken and craft beer, but it was unexpected.
“Just water?”
“That’s enough for me. Hyowoo-ssi, if there’s something you want to eat, buy it.”
Saying that, he tried to hand over his entire wallet.
“Why are you giving me the whole wallet? What if I run away with this?”
“Because you’re not that kind of person. Even if you run away, I just have to go catch you. I know your contact info, know your school, and know your best friend.”
“Then I might really go around to all the stores here and buy one of everything.”
“Buy everything. Swipe it until you exceed the limit.”
Seeing him smile brightly as he told him to spend freely, Hyowoo also ended up laughing along.
Really, he was someone who made those around him comfortable just by smiling.
Hyowoo quietly put the wallet back into his hand.
“I’ll buy this. Instead, buy me dinner.”
At those words, he no longer forcefully offered his wallet.
He left the VIP seats alone and headed toward where the food stores in the stadium were gathered.
Long lines were already formed in front of the concession stands. Leaving behind the stores wafting delicious smells, Hyowoo headed straight to the convenience store.
The convenience store was no different, bustling with people. After picking up two bottles of water from the refrigerator, he stood in the long checkout line. While waiting his turn, he calmed the emotions that had welled up earlier.
On the way back to his seat after paying. Lee Seohee’s name could be heard from here and there. Not particularly wanting to hear what they were saying, he walked quickly while looking only straight ahead.
For the first time in his life, Hyowoo didn’t get lost in an unfamiliar place. When he safely returned to his seat, Lee Seohee greeted him with a bright smile.
“Good work. Were there a lot of people?”
“A bit. But it wasn’t extremely crowded.”
“You didn’t get lost?”
“No, I found it in one try, so I’m also amazed.”
It was just as he was about to hand over the water and sit down.
“Ah, Hyowoo-ssi. There’s hair stuck on your shoulder…”
Thwack—!
A clear sound rang out, though not loud.
Hyowoo sharply struck away his hand, which had only been trying to remove the hair stuck to his clothes.
* * *
It took about 10 seconds to recognize his own actions.
‘What… what have I just done…’
Hyowoo showed a severe rejection reaction to human hands touching his body.
That day when he was cruelly violated by someone he had truly liked. The demon who had hidden his true nature behind a kind smile ruthlessly trampled on Hyowoo and left ‘marks’ below his nape and here and there on his shoulders.
Alphas had a tendency to be obsessed with the napes of omegas, where pheromone scents were secreted particularly intensely.
Perhaps because of that, in foreign countries, when marrying or forming a pair, marks were sometimes left below an omega’s nape as a token of love.
However, forcibly leaving bite marks on the nape of an omega without a partner was a show-off behavior among violent alphas to mark ‘I fucked this omega.’ It was a cruel act that viewed omegas merely as tools to satisfy an alpha’s sexual desires.
Though time had passed and the wounds had healed, the terrible sensation of that demon licking and biting his skin didn’t easily disappear.
For over a year, Hyowoo scratched and tore at his own living flesh to the point where bones were visible. Because he wanted to remove the ‘marks’ left on his body, even if it meant gouging out the flesh.
Though he was able to stop the self-harm through psychiatric treatment, the countless wounds he had inflicted on himself remained intact.
He was afraid that the traces of the past he had experienced would be discovered because of these disgusting scars.
That’s why he extremely disliked exposing his neck or shoulders, or having anything touch them.
He didn’t wear T-shirts at all for fear that the ‘past’ might be exposed even a little. He insisted only on collared shirts or turtlenecks, and even in midsummer, he buttoned his shirt all the way up to his neck.
But since he had touched that sensitive area of all places, his body had reacted on its own.
Sure enough, there was clearly a flustered look in Lee Seohee’s eyes.
It was only an attempt to remove hair stuck to his clothes, but it was natural for him to be surprised since he had sharply struck it away as if something unclean had touched him.
Because of the quite loud sound, people sitting nearby also turned their gaze toward the two.
To those who didn’t know the detailed circumstances, it was a situation that could easily be misunderstood as Lee Seohee being rejected after trying to do something bad. Already, several people were starting to whisper while looking at the two.
‘Wh… what should I do…’
Hyowoo’s hand that had struck away his hand trembled faintly.
‘Some kind of excuse… no, more than that, an apology first…’
But far from apologizing, his mouth wouldn’t open.
Since there was no room for excuses either, it was just as his mind was gradually becoming blank.
“I’m sorry. Were you surprised?”
Out of nowhere, Lee Seohee apologized first to the pale-faced Hyowoo.
“It’s natural to be surprised when suddenly touched, but I was thoughtless.”
Surprised by the unexpected apology, he raised his head. The flustered expression from a moment ago had completely disappeared, and he had returned to his usual gentle face.
Only then did Hyowoo also manage to give a belated apology.
“N… No. What did player Lee Seohee do wrong… I reacted more sensitively than necessary. I’m sorry…”
“It can happen. I was so surprised once when a friend suddenly grabbed my shoulder that I almost hit that friend’s face too.”
He smiled, saying he completely understood.
Setting aside being flustered, even though it was a situation that could be quite unpleasant, Lee Seohee reassured Hyowoo as if it was no big deal.
‘I’m the one who did wrong. What am I doing making this person apologize…’
Could he be thinking that it wasn’t simply because someone touched him, but that he struck away because he disliked Lee Seohee as an alpha?
He wanted to explain properly that it wasn’t because he disliked him, but because it was a sensitive area so his body reacted reflexively.
‘But… I can’t tell this person the reason why I reacted so sensitively…’
In the end, Hyowoo couldn’t say anything.
While an awkward atmosphere flowed between the two, the game started.
The match flowed interestingly from the first inning, but even that, Hyowoo couldn’t watch properly.
‘No matter how good-natured and generous a person is, he might have been hurt inside…’
He glanced carefully, checking his complexion.
He only seemed to be concentrating on the game, and no other emotions or feelings could be read.
‘My hand is still tingling, I wonder if it hurts…’
He wanted to ask if his hand was okay, but he didn’t even have the courage to bring up those words.
In the end, it was around the time the top of the third inning was ending without being able to say anything. He spoke first.
“Are you still dwelling on it?”
At his still warm voice, the guilt only deepened.
“It’s my fault for surprising Hyowoo-ssi, so don’t worry about it.”
“No. I went too far… I’m really sorry…”
While continuing to mutter apologies, Hyowoo couldn’t raise his head. A troubled look also appeared on Lee Seohee’s face watching that sight.
Even if he said it was okay dozens of times, it was clear Hyowoo would suffer from guilt all day today.
As if realizing that, he fell into deep thought for a moment. Then he soon smiled and quietly opened his mouth.
“If you’re that sorry… as an apology, could you hold my hand just once more?”
